Grapevine Plant named &#39;Zinthiana&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct, self rooted, variety of grapevine, “Zinthiana”, from a cross of “Zinfandel” and “Cynthiana”, which can be distinguished by its outstanding wine combined with high productivity, disease resistance, and cold hardiness superior to its acclaimed parent “Zinfandel”.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Vitis spp hybrid. (“Zinfandel” crossed with “Norton”)

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

“Zinthiana”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most grape varieties used for production of high quality wines around the world are of the species Vitis Vinifera. These V. Vinifera varieties, when cultivated in northern regions of the United States with a continental climate are often subject to serious injury or death from low temperatures during winter. V. Vinifera must also be grafted onto an American rootstock in order to be grown successfully. Although several wild Vitis species occur in colder regions of North America and eastern Asia, the wine made from these species generally has serious defects. Thus, a great need existed for grape plants that would combine the superior wine quality of V. Vinifera with the cold weather resistance and disease resistance of wild species yet be free of their unpleasant wild flavors. A grape breeding program conducted by Lucian W. Dressel at Davis, Calif. and at Winters, Calif. from 2000 to 2002 developed such varieties by combining various V. Vinifera with the native grape plant known as “Norton” (aka Cynthiana).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a new and distinct variety of grape plant designated ‘Zinthiana’ which produced dark black fruit highly suitable for red wine production, and has a combination of high wine quality, excellent cold hardiness, disease resistance, good productivity, and does not need to be grafted. It has proven to be well adapted to various states including California, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Iowa. Zinthiana resulted from a cross of “Zinfandel” and “Norton” made in 2001 in Winters, Calif.

Zinthiana propagates well from hardwood cuttings. Once rooted the young plants quickly become established, and all Zinthiana plants propagated in this manner have been genetically stable, producing only dark black fruit with dark reddish bluish juice. The vines of Zinthiana have an abundance of tendrils and easily adapt themselves to a high wire cordon trellis system. Canes have a drooping growth attitude and are easily combed and trained. The bud break and bloom of Zinthiana are very late, typically after that of both Zinfandel and Norton. Its flowers are perfect and self fertile. Zinthiana vines typically set a moderate to heavy crop. The fruit of Zinthiana is borne on long clusters that are tight, compact and often have a small wing when mature. The peduncles are Norton-like being very long. The berries are medium in size with a waxy bloom at maturity. Berry splitting and bunch rot have not been observed to date, nor has crown gall. In commercial vineyards on a normal spray schedule no disease problems have been noted from Black Rot, Downey Mildew, Powdery Mildew, or any other fungus disease or insects. Resistance to Pierce's Disease is unknown, but is being tested in Louisiana.

The fruit of Zinthiana can be fermented to produce a dry red wine that can be barrel aged to produce a wine in the classic style of a red California Zinfandel. The wine has none of the flavors associated with wines made from either French Hybrid grapes or V. Labrusca varieties. Zinthiana's wine is bright crimson, like dark red rose pedals. The nose is peppery, with currents, some cedar, complex, not grapey, hint of figs. Taste is a more complex version of Zinfandel, delightful, charming.

Zinthiana is much more cold hardy than its parent Zinfandel and has the advantage of being self rooted so that even if the plant is killed to the ground it can be renewed from an underground sucker, unlike Zinfandel. Unlike its other parent, Norton, its growth habits are quite orderly and manageable and Zinthiana does not have to be grown on a double curtain system to be profitable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1—ZinthianaLeafFront—A photograph showing the front view of a Zinthiana leaf.

FIG. 2—ZinthianaLeafRear—A photograph showing the rear view of a Zinthiana leaf.

FIG. 3—ZinthianaVine—A photograph showing trunk, canes, leaves and fruit after verasion in 2006.

FIG. 4—ZinthianaBunches—A photograph of Zinthiana showing a close up of three typical fruit cluster after verasion, Aug. 31, 2006.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new grape.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following descriptions of Zinthiana apply to vines planted at the Mary Michelle Winery in Carrollton, Ill. in 2004. When dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics and approximations set forth as accurately as possible. Variations of the usual magnitude incident to climatic factors, fertilization, pruning, pest control and other cultural practices are to be expected.

The colors referred to in this abstract are those of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, copyrighted 2005

-   Vine:     -   -   General.—Size. — The test grapevines of Zinthiana are             planted approximately 8 feet apart down the row and 10 feet             apart between the rows. The vine canopy extends from 0.75             meters to 1.0 meters out in to the row. The vines are in             their fourth leaf. Vigor. — When first planted, much more             vigorous than Norton. When mature equally vigorous as             Zinfandel but without the rampant and unruly growth habits             of Norton. Productivity. — Productive, bearing 4 to 6 tons             per acre depending on pruning and growing conditions.         -   Trunk.—Surface texture. — Rough textured and furrowed and             only slightly shaggy. Bark color. — Brownish. Varies from             200A to 202A. Trunk circumference. — Very straight, round,             and uniform in diameter ranging from 3.6 cm to 3.8 cm at 40             cm height from ground to 3.6 cm to 3.8 cm at 600 cm from the             ground. -   Mature canes:     -   -   Size.—         -   Thickness.—Canes that arise from dormant spurs vary from 6             mm to 14 mm at 5 cm to 40 cm from bud. Canes are relatively             uniform in width, like Norton and do not taper like Vidal.         -   Surface.—Smooth often finely striated.         -   Color.—Canes are reddish brown on top (45A) and light green             underneath (145A).         -   Internode length.—Varies widely depending on type of arm,             position on vine and the nature of the bud from which each             cane arose. From 3 cm to 4 cm on smaller shorter arms and             laterals and from 10 cm to 15 on larger canes. Varies from 9             to 14 cm on the stronger upper suncanes and from 3 to 5 cm             on lateral canes. -   Tendrils: Relatively long ranging from 14 to 30 cm.     -   -   Diameter.—Varies from 1.0 to 2.0 mm in thickness measured at             the base of the tendril.         -   Distribution.—Discontinuous.         -   Form.—Predominately bifid, although trifid tendrils may be             present.         -   Color.—Reddish brown (45A). -   Growing tips: Straight, and uniformly green (137C) -   Leaves:     -   -   Mature leaves.—General. Like its parent Norton, the leaves             of Zinthiana can have a wide variety of shapes and sizes on             the same plant. Variations can be caused by the age of the             vine, the location where grown, the weather and any number             of other factors. Average blade length. 11 cm as measured             from the apex of the center leaf lobe to the petiole             junction. Size of blade. Large, usually having 5 lobes.             Shape. Orbicular. Galet coordinates: 015-2-37.         -   Shape of teeth along leaf margins.—Convex.         -   Length of teeth along leaf margins.—Medium to large and             variable, 6 to 14 mm in length.         -   General shape of petiole sinus.—Long, narrow, slightly bulb             like in middle widening into a V shape.         -   Shape of upper leaf sinus.—Generally in a long narrow V             shape.         -   Leaf color.—Upper leaf surface: Glabrous, rough (137C) Lower             leaf surface: Rather dull and lighter in intensity of color             (137C). Upper leaf veins: Yellowish-green (2C) with a blush             of red color on the five main veins (44A) from the petiole             junction to the first main vein. Lower leaf veins: The color             of the five main veins from the petiole sinus to the first             branching vein is distinctly red (44A), beyond which they             are yellow-green (2C). Surface texture: Rough, glabrous.             Surface appearance: Dull. Lower surface texture: Rough,             dull.         -   Leaf petiole.—Length of petiole: 7 cm Petiole thickness: 3.o             to 4.0 mm measured at mid petiole. Petiole shape: glabrous,             smooth. Petiole color: Reddish-brown (172A) Length of             petiole compared to mid vein: about 60%. -   Floral cluster description:     -   -   Bloom timing.—Varies widely from year to year. Generally             late, slightly after Norton. May 10^(th) in 2006.         -   Cluster form.—long narrow.         -   Clusters per shoot.—usually three.         -   Floral cluster length.—average 110 cm.         -   Floral cluster width.—average 30 cm.         -   Cluster peduncles.—length 10 to 12 cm, thickness 3.0 to 4.0             cm.         -   Inflorescence.—Hermaphroditic.         -   Floral stamens.—Upright with normal size anthers.         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Pollen color.—Pale yellow.         -   Calyptras separation from the flower base.—Complete.         -   Duration of bloom.—Average 10 to 12 days depending on             ambient temperatures during the bloom period. -   Fruit description—primary colors:     -   -   Date of maturity.—Sep. 20, 2006 in west central Illinois.         -   Bunch size.—long, medium.         -   Bunch length.—12 to 25 cm, not including the peduncle.         -   Bunch width.—15 to 25 cm.         -   Bunch form.—Conical.         -   Bunch weight.—Average from 200 to 300 gm.         -   Bunch density.—Tight like Norton.         -   Peduncle length.—Long like Norton from 5 to 8 cm.         -   Peduncle thickness.—Ranges from 3.0 to 5.0 cm at the             peduncle base.         -   Berry form.—Round.         -   Cross sectional view berry form.—Globose.         -   Berry size.—medium 12 to 15 mm in diameter.         -   Berry weight.—2 to 5 gm.         -   Berry uniformity.—Excellent.         -   Berry pedicle.—small to medium size.         -   Length.—5 to 6 mm.         -   Thickness.—1 to 2 mm.         -   Attachment.—Very strong with no shatter at commercial             maturity.         -   Berry skin color.—Black with waxy bloom. 100% colored.         -   Berry skin thickness.—Medium.         -   Berry skin surface texture.—Smooth and glabrous.         -   Berry skin, tenacity to flesh.—Skin is tenacious to the             flesh.         -   Berry skin, tendency to crack.—Has never shown any cracking.         -   Berry skin, reticulation.—Surface is smooth with no             reticulations present.         -   Berry color.—Black (202A).         -   Berry surfaces.—Uniformly covered with a waxy, grayish             bloom.         -   Berry flesh color.—Light translucent green (145C).         -   Juiciness of flesh.—Similar to standard commercial wine             varieties. Much juicier than Norton, not as juicy as             Zinfandel.         -   Berry firmness.—Very firm.         -   Berry juice.—clear, light and slightly pinkish at crushing.         -   Solids-sugar percentage (at maturity).—22.0 on Sep. 12,             2006.         -   pH of berry juice.—3.18 on Sep. 12, 2006.         -   Titratable acidity.—7.75 gm/liter.         -   Seed.—Viable, 3 to 4 per berry, average size and shape             for V. Vinifera.         -   Flavor.—Good, tart, sweet, typical V. Vinifera red wine             grape flavor.         -   Aroma.—Typical crushed red wine grape aroma. No wild aromas. -   Secondary bunches: Almost no secondary bunches have been observed in     normal years with no spring frost.

COMPARISON BETWEEN PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

The physical appearance of the vine of Zinthiana more closely resembles that of its parent Zinfandel. Like Zinfandel the leaves of Zinthiana are more modest in size and show fewer variations than do the leaves of its parent Norton. The growth habits are more orderly than Norton and it can produce normal crops of between 4 to 6 tons per acre without having to be grown on a double curtain trellis system. Zinthiana is far more resistant to the endemic vine diseases of the eastern US than Zinfandel and it can be grown on its own roots.

The berries and bunches are much larger than Norton and the berries have fewer seeds making wine making easier. 

1. The new and distinct variety of grape vine herein described and illustrated and identified by the characteristics enumerated above (application Ser. No. 11/978,489). 